The Truth

Sorry, I do NOT accept anything you are saying. Technicians and theatre staff have NO say in what goes on-they just do the best with what they can and what they are told. If you don't do the work, you are gone. Simple. In this day and age, jobs are difficult to come by. Character assassination is fine for people on this website, but please don't put all staff members in the same category as the optometrists, surgeons and higher management and no, these staff do NOT do your consultation. As for the person with the Nazi comment. Get a grip-that's a pathetic comment in very bad taste and you should be ashamed.
In this company you fear for your job. Speaking out can end your career. It's all fine for you to label all with the same crime, but this is not the case. I escaped and found other work. For others it's not so easy. I have NEVER seen any surgery team member do anything unscrupulous, devious or fiddle paperwork or anything. They do what they can, in a hard environment that they don't like. You people may not like it or accept it but inside a bad place there are some people who try to do good but are ignored. Please don't put everyone in the same category.

Ken, these people are right, other staff members are turning a blind eye (sorry), and must know enough, to know that what is going on is wrong, and dangerous. If they simply accept it for the sake of their salary, then they too are to blame.

To Ken -

Would this be the same 'staff' you talk about (and defend) who did my consultation and blatantly lied to me about my pupil size? When I directly asked the question if I had large pupils, she said not at all and all would be perfect, a downright lie! I'm now in a total mess because of this.

The surgeon never explained the extra risks to me with my large pupils, luckily I had him trip up and have in writing his admittance that he never discussed any extra risks.

Not long now and court papers will be served with my litigation, I can't wait!

Ken wrote: If anyone is going to be blamed, blame the management and some surgeons. The theatre staff and technicians do a hard job with very long hours, they dislike the company and HAVE to comply with what they are told to do.

My heart bleeds!

Didn't the nazis blame the holocaust on Hitler? 'Nothing to do with me' syndrome!

You don't "HAVE" to do do anything, no-one I presume is holding a gun to your head!

Ken,

With the greatest respect, if staff feel uncormfortable with decisions being made at higher levels then they ought to be questioning them or perhaps seeking alternative employment options.

Part of being an employee within any organisation is to improve issues in all areas by questioning and daring to challenge things that are wrong.

Furthermore it is the duty of employees to ensure the well being of clients who are ultimately patients as you are very much aware.

You correctly state that surgery comes with risks. I feel I can speak not only for myself but other people who have had their eyes and lives ruined by Optical Express when I say that if we had all been informed of the real risks most of us would have steered well clear of surgery.

Informed consent is a process not just signing a piece of paper. Staff clearly do not comprehend the full risks of what they are suggesting to be a good idea to clients.

Ignorance is no excuse. Staff should be researching what they are selling. Your eyes are rather important and peoples lives are being destroyed by Optical Express.

Since it is the staff that recommend procedures to clients in the first instance they will be held accountable for their part and the fact they get paid for clearing people for surgery means that they are just as responsible as the surgeon.

If anyone is going to be blamed, blame the management and some surgeons. The theatre staff and technicians do a hard job with very long hours, they dislike the company and HAVE to comply with what they are told to do. They only want to do what's best, but hands are tied, so to speak. Staff on complex case days are often from elsewhere in the county and have no idea of the history of these cases. They are told to travel hundreds of miles and have no choice. Aim your anger at the higher up people, not the hard working ones who try their best. One thing I will say is that this is surgery. There are risks. Always. A good surgeon will tell you the risks. It is informed consent. If you don't like it go elsewhere or don't get it done-there are good surgeons out there. Believe me I know OE well. ...
Remember the rules.
Good-cheap-fast are the options. You can only have 2
Good-cheap won't be fast.
Good-fast won't be cheap.
Cheap-fast won't be good. The last one falls under OE

I appreciate that my story won't have the same long term effect on my life that this website advises people against, I just feel that people should be informed before they are messed around by David Moulsdale - and area manager Nitin Jain.

In a nutshell I spent over £200 of my own money attending 3 interviews to be let down at each one because the guy did not turn up to see me. I am then offered a choice of jobs by email and accept one.

In the meantime I gave up my £24,000 a year job then 2 weeks later received a generic email telling me thanks but no thanks!

Thank you for your input. It is good to be reassured that we are not imagining the despicable conduct that many of us have suffered.
It would be wonderful for us all if at some point a true exposé of OE happens.

'the majority of the problems caused are because the real risk to every patient is being understated in every consultation by the Laser Optometrist '

It's actually more like downright lies, nothing is understated at all, I was told of no risk, that I was a perfect candidate for lasik, I even asked the lying bitch if I had large pupils as i'd researched a bit prior to my consultation, she smiled and said I didn't have large pupils and I am a perfect candidate for it. This was total, utter lies, my eyes are such that I should NEVER be operated on yet they went ahead and butchered me, i'm now paying the price and am effectively disabled.

Luckily my litigation against Optical Express and the surgeon is going swimmingly and they will pay the price for what they have done to me.

The OE is not the only bad guy, lets change the company and everything will fit equally well. Any bigger company will end up like this to be profitable.
Yes, the problem is in the higher levels of the hierarchy as you said.The top is interested in money and money only.The most important part and the most developed one is sales.There has been a transition in recent years to more aggressive and unscrupulous sales. There is a corporate pressure under which optometrists and doctors do their job.
The most important part of the regulation would be to separate sales from medical entity. Sales manager must not be influencing doctors and optometists work. At present there is no place for professional leadership. There is only illusion in purpose of keeping a profile. OE used to be the prime example of a bad company for years but suddenly their practices became all too familiar.

Patients are not the only ones fooled in the process, employees are too.
Websites, flyers, counsellors are programmed to understate risks and magnify benefits. Unfortunately patients are frequently very much truth resistant blind and deaf.
There is no treatment in the world which turns time back to make you 17 again for god sake, let it be plastic or refractive surgery.
There is no something like freedom from glasses, you will need them eventually even after having so "miraculous" IOL. If you don't accept 2 pairs of glasses on top of your freshly done eyes at some stage better keep away. If you are under 60 don't do IOL as the risk is much higher. Oh so many things they will never tell you.

Yes for most of reasonably thinking suitable patients surgery does work. Unfortunately there are only a handful of them in the world where suitable means everyone.